More than half a decade has passed since Isaiah Rashad released his dense, jazzy sophomore album, The Sun’s Tirade. While hip-hop music trends come and pass quickly, the release of Rashad’s new album The House is Burning on July 30 proved that he remains in the unique conscious, melodic, lo-fi-style[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
38 Spesh holds back the potential of Benny the Butcher and 38 Spesh’s ‘Trust The Sopranos’
Riding a train powered by the gritty, imaginative imagery of street crime and new-age lyricism, Griselda Records member Benny the Butcher’s 2020 and 2021 albums have been consistently potent. 38 Spesh, one of Benny’s lesser-known yet widely accredited contemporaries, collaborates with Benny on Trust The Sopranos, an 11-track LP. To[Read More…]
Sarah Stevenson’s ‘Before the Storm’ explores the turbulent intimacy of stillness
When one enters the Fonderie Darling main hall, they find themselves wandering through an industrial room populated by a family of six colourful hanging wire skeletons. These grand sculptural ghosts—resembling airy animal shells, phantom produce, and woven costumes—are the manifestations of human experiences. Montreal-based artist Sarah Stevenson’s new exhibition, Before[Read More…]
‘Christian Dior’ exhibit highlights the simple extravagance of post-war haute couture
Over time, the fashion industry has grown to rely on brand recognition to drive popularity and sales. Fashion houses such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Dior have long remained in the cultural consciousness because they—quite literally—made a name for themselves. Backed by full-monogram outfits, celebrity brand[Read More…]
MSAI virtual coffee house fundraises for Meals for Milton Parc
On March 19, McGill Students for Amnesty International (MSAI) hosted Jamnesty, an annual coffee house fundraiser featuring student and alumni artists. The event was free but organizers encouraged audience members to donate money as part of their “ticket.” The initiative resulted in $1,042 raised for Meals for Milton-Parc, a student-run[Read More…]
‘Kim’s Convenience:’ The impossibility of cancelling a classic
On March 31, 2020, CBC announced that Kim’s Convenience—their fan-favourite sitcom—had been renewed for two more seasons. Less than one year later, on March 8, 2021, fans around the world were shocked when the network announced that the fifth season of Kim’s Convenience would be its last. The confusion set in immediately,[Read More…]
‘Godzilla vs Kong’ is mind-numbingly entertaining
While I am far from ashamed of my love of cult classic movies, I have never dabbled in anything remotely related to the Godzilla or King Kong franchises. Last week, however, I dived headfirst into Legendary Studios’ MonsterVerse with Godzilla vs Kong, released in theatres and HBO Max on March[Read More…]
In speculative fiction, sex is no longer a fantasy
New and exciting fantasy novels are constantly making names for themselves in the present day: From Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the fantasy genre has continued to redefine and reinvent itself. While fantasy is not new—arguably over a century old, dating[Read More…]
Lana Del Rey grapples with fame on ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’
Chemtrails Over the Country Club is abound with Lana Del Rey’s signature wry wit: The album’s title references the chemtrails conspiracy theory, adding a sinister undertone to the otherwise pleasant visual of a sprawling green country club with planes flying overhead. The album is an atmospheric, 45-minute wash of sound that[Read More…]
Escapism, identity, and the evolution of TikTok aesthetics
Tweed peacoats, plaid dresses, corsets, and cutlasses found discarded in antique store basements have attracted a new group of buyers in 2021: Teenagers. “Aesthetics,” a branch of philosophy that studies the nature and qualifications of beauty, taste, and art, has been given a whole new meaning in the last decade[Read More…]
